Influence of Temperature on the Toxicity of Phenol and its Chloro- and Nitro-derivatives to the Fish Notopterus notopterus (PALLAS)

There is determined the LC₅₀ for 24 … 96 h of phenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol and pentachlorophenol as sodium salt by static assay at water temperatures of 16, 23 and 36°C. In addition, the combinations of the three substances were tested in the same way. With decreasing temperature, the toxicity of the individual substances decreased by 6.5 … 22%, that of the mixtures by 10 … 87%; with rising temperature, the toxicity increased by 38 … 747% and 75 … 744%, respectively. The safety limits at 23°C lie between 0.3 μg/l for a synergistically acting mixture and 0.9 mg/l for an antagonistically acting one; for the individual substances this range is 3.5 μg/l to 0.5 mg/l.     

Toxicity of distillery wastes to Puntius sophore (HAM.) and Mystus Vittatus (BLOCH) (Pisces,Cyprinidae, Bagridae) Part 3: Bioassay studies and TLm determination

The toxicity of the distillation wastes with low acidity, high turbidity and high organic load to the two fish species is tested by a laboratory test. The threshold value of toxicity is found at a 4 or 7 per cent dilution of wastewater. The statistical analysis of the survival rates has shown that the survival rates are significantly dependent on concentration and the time of exposure, for Puntius sophore also on temperature within the range of 20…34°C. Mystus vittatus proves to be the significantly more resistant species. The maximum permissible concentration of waste in the water ist calculated, too.     

Histological Changes in a Few Tissues of Notopterus notopterus Induced by Sublethal and Lethal Concentrations of Pulp,Paper and Mixed Pulp and Paper Wastes

In the present work, histological changes in the gill, liver, kidney and intestine of Notopterus notopterus, induced by pulp waste, paper waste and mixed pulp and paper waste, have been studied both at sublethal and lethal concentrations. The pulp waste produces much more histological changes both at sublethal and lethal concentrations in the gill, liver, kidney and intestine as compared to paper waste and mixed pulp and paper waste. The changes are much more remarkable in the case of sublethal concentration, as compared to a lethal concentration. In a sublethal concentration, the localized necrosis, atrophy and partial and total liquefaction of epithelial cells, pilaster cells, mucous cells of the gill, hepatic cells of the liver, mesenchymatous cells, renal tubule cells and Bowman's capsule of the kidney, mucosal and submucosal cells and blood vessels of intestine have been observed. In lethal concentration, the changes are much more marked in the gill, as compared to the liver, kidney and intestine. The histological changes, produced in the different types of cells and in the tissue as a whole, can be correlated with the different chemical components present in the pulp waste, paper waste and mixed pulp and paper waste.     

Studies on the Pollution of the Kalinadi by Industrial Wastes Near Mansurpur Part 1: Hydrometric and Physico-Chemical Characteristics of the Wastes and River Water

Stream pollution by industrial wastes is posing a problem in Uttar Pradesh. In the present investigations an attempt has been made to study the ecological features of a section of the Kalinadi so as to find out the cumulative or detrimental effect of pollution on fish and fisheries by the effluent discharge of sugar factory and distillery wastes near Mansurpur (District Muzaffarnagar), U. P. This paper is part I of the project. The liquid wastes produced by the sugar factory vary from 66 × 10⁶ to 88 × 10⁶ litres/day excluding condenser water and contain variable quantities of cane fibres, cellulose, lime, waxes, fermented sugar juice, mollasses, and some quantities of sulphate, phosphate, and nitrogen, the oxygen being nil with high values of B. O. D. and C. O. D. The liquid waste from the distillery is called spent wash. The spent wash (62 × 10⁴ litres/day) is highly coloured and acidic (pH 4.3 … 2.9). The B. O. D. and C. O. D. values were very high in the order of 28,526 mg/1 … 45,146 mg/1 and 52,516 mg/1 to 66,862 mg/1. Thus total waste of about 17.3 × 10⁶ litres with no oxygen and high B. O. D. (9,600 mg/1 … 10,116 mg/1) is let off into the Kalinadi. Hydrometric observations on the Kalinadi show that the pollutional hazard is appreciable during the low flow period of the river. The wastes affect the river in a number of ways:

• - The deposition of cellulose fibres, organic and inorganic matter affects the substratum adversely. The blackish brown colour of the wastes affects the light penetration by limiting the growth of phytoplankton.
• - There appears to be no potential danger to the river from the electrolyte pollution as the specific conductivity lies below limiting values.
• - Changes in pH in river water due to the acidic nature of the wastes do not affect directly the fauna and flora, but the acidic condition becomes lethal in the presence of low oxygen and high temperature values.
• - The high load of organic matter present in the wastes draws heavily on the oxygen budget of the river and adversely changes the water and bottom quality of the river for a stretch of 10 km, which adversely affects the environmental condition of both fish and fish food.
• - The presence of sulphuric acid in distillery waste and hydrogen sulphide in river water is toxic to fish and fish food.
• - The decomposition of organic matter in an anaerobic condition and in another favourable environment, as with a low redox potential, the presence of sufficient organic matter and a constant supply of sulphur-reducing bacteria, produces more hydrogen sulphide which may be detrimental or sublethal in the presence of a low oxygen saturation and high temperature.
• - The oxygen level increases at each succeeding station through reaeration and dilution with the lowering of B. O. D. and C. O. D. The oxygen-sag curve is like a typical spoon with handle-shape.

     

Zytotoxikologische Untersuchung von Schadstoffen und Wasserblüten mit gefrierkonserviertem Bullensperma (Spermatest)

The method is based on the determination of the number of the nonmotile sperms and/or the lethally damaged sperms with the aid of the fluorescent dye primuline. Incubation takes place at a suspension density of 10.000/mm³… 38.000/mm³, at 40°C or 46 °C for 15… 60 min. During the test with sublimate the loss of motility amounts to 55% at 4 mg/l Hg²⁺, the LC₅₀ is 7.3 mg/l Hg²⁺. Phenyl-mercuric acetate causes the total loss of motility with 20 mg/l, the LC₅₀ is above 168 mg/l (equivalent to 100 mg/l Hg²⁺). The LC₅₀ of sodiumpentadecylmonosulphonate and dodecylpyridinchloride are 11.6 and 15.8 mg/l, resp. Filtrates of blooming of cyanophyceae on Baltic, having been digested by repeated freezing and thawing, with 1.5… 6.4 g/l dry matter showed motility losses of 30… 100 % for Nodularia spumigena, whereas no significant effect was produced by a filtrate of Microcystis aeruginosa with 28.2 g/l dry matter as well as water-blooming of Nodularia spumigena from the Small Jasmund Bodden.     

Chlorination of Humic Acids and Chloroform Production

By diluting a boggy water there is produced water with a COD-Mn of 3.4 … 10.6 mg/l O₂ which is due only to humic substances. The water is mixed with 2.5 … 12.9 mg/l Cl₂ at pH-values of 5.2 … 8.5 and incubated for 24 h at 20°C. CHCl₃ concentrations of 38 … 480 μg/l were found by the subsequent gas-chromatographic determination. The production of chloroform can be calculated by means of a quadratic polynomial in dependence on COD-Mn, chlorine concentration and pH-value.     

Spatial Distribution of the Biotic Community in the Thermal Gradients of the Two Hot Springs

The runoff channels of two hot springs are investigated at seven and six stations with water temperatures of 64 … 34 or 44 … 35 °C, respectively. The temperatures are constant in the annual variation. With decreasing temperature, the pH-values and alkalinity decrease, whereas the hydrogen carbonate content and the orthophosphate concentration increase. In the range above 60 °C the mat consists of cyanophyceae and bacteria, and, unexpectedly, already from 60 °C also diatoms occur as dominant forms, below 40 °C the mat consisting of green algae and diatoms. With rotatoria, crustaceae and insects, herbivorous species occur only below 40 °C, fish species are regularly found below 38 °C.     

Daphnia magna as a Model to Assess Heavy Metal Toxicity: Comparative Assessment with Mouse System

The acute static bioassays with heavy metals at 13 ± 1.5 °C in hard water (total hardness = 240 ppm as CaCO₃) were conducted in the laboratory with Daphnia magna. The 48 hr LC values and their 95 per dent confidence limits in ppm of metal were: 0.0038 (0.0027… 0.0053) for Hg; 0.015 (0.009… 0.026) for Ag; 0.1 (0.063… 0.16) for Cu; 0.69 (0.48… 1.0) for Zn; 1.52 (1.01… 2.28) for Co; 1.8 (1.16… 2.70) for Cr; 1.5 (1.07… 2.1) for Cd; 2,63 (1.7… 4.08) for Pb; 7.3 (5.49… 9.71) for Ni and 19.5 (13.45… 28.3) for Sn. At the close of 24 h of exposure Zn and Cd solutions showed milky white precipitation. The order of toxicity of heavy metals in this model was: Hg>Ag>Cu>Zn>Cd>Co>Cr>Pb>Ni>Sn. Comparison of D. magna and mouse LC₅₀ data showed that Daphnia were sensitive at 1/2710, 1/83, 1/123 and 1/5.5, the LC₅₀ values of Hg, Cu and Zn, respectively. Toxicity test with D. magna is simple, requiring less space, time, facilities, acclimatization time and equipment. Furthermore, Daphnia is more functional, reliable and gives reproducible results. Based on this data we believe the Daphnia magna model can be used as a model to study heavy metal toxicity.     

Some Advantages of the Duckweed Test to Assess the Toxicity of Environmental Samples

In Germany, wastewater legislation requires all municipal and industrial leachate to be subjected to toxicity tests. However, no phytotoxicity tests using higher plants are currently included among the standard tests. Freshwater microalgae have been used in most phytotoxicity tests and have often been considered as surrogates for higher plants. However, microalgae often do not show the same sensitivity as higher plants and have major disadvantages for the testing of unmodified environmental samples. In the following study, we evaluated the suitability of the giant duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza for assessing the toxicity of a municipal landfill leachate and two leachates of copper mining residue. Duckweed static toxicity tests were performed, and frond number was the endpoint used to calculate EC₅₀ values. Symptoms of stress (chlorosis, necrosis, root destruction, and colony breakup) were also recorded. The landfill leachate was toxic with EC_50;96h values ranging from 1.3 to 2.7% leachate (v/v). Toxicity of the copper slag leachate was largely determined by the elution method used. Leachate obtained using conventional German leaching methods (S4-eluate) was not toxic to duckweed, whereas EC₅₀ values for the pH_stat4-eluate ranged from 3.2 to 4.2% leachate (v/v). The results demonstrate the suitability of S. polyrhiza for the testing of unmodified wastewater samples and provide further evidence for the addition of a duckweed toxicity test to the standard tests conducted in Germany.     

Chronic toxicity of ocean-dumped pharmaceutical wastes to the marine amphipod Amphithoe valida

The toxic effects of ocean-dumped pharmaceutical wastes on a marine amphipod Amphithoe valida increased with increasing duration of exposure and waste concentration. Amphipods chronically exposed to waste concentrations ≥ 1% had lower survival rates and reduced fecundity when compared to control groups. The parent amphipods exposed to 3% waste had 100% mortality by week 3, while those exposed to ≤ 2% waste were able to survive over 2 months. Larvae (F₁) of the treated amphipods survived shorter periods, 6 weeks for the 2% and 13 weeks for the 1% group. The total progeny produced by the treated amphipods (20/treatment) during the experiment dropped from 89 (F₁) to 20 (F₂) for the 1%, and from 26 (F₁) to 1 (F₂) for the 2% group. No offspring were recorded for amphipods exposed to 3% waste. For the corresponding period, the controls yielded 196 and 99 larvae respectively.     

Effect of Saline Sludge on Anaerobic Digestion of Kitchen Waste for Methane Generation: Modeling and Fertilizer Recovery

A comparative study of methane recovery by co-digesting kitchen waste and saline sewage sludge is performed to evaluate its feasibility for waste minimization. The experiment is performed at 37 °C having a mixing speed of 100 rpm and pH of 6.49–7.5 in anaerobic mixed batch reactors. The higher salinity level of the saline sewage sludge reduces the degradation rate of kitchen waste causing an enhancement in soluble chemical oxygen demand by 133% compared with 280% when co-digesting with the non-saline sample. The inhibitory behavior is in line with the low volatile solid elimination efficiency of 31% of saline against 55% of non-saline sludge. The Gompertz modeling, based on the outcomes, fits the cumulative methane generation trends quite well, with a strong correlation coefficient (>0.994). Besides, use of the non-saline sludge results in three times more methane production than the saline sample digestion. Sludge recovery is 0.07 m³ sludge m⁻³ wastewater, and water recovery is 0.84 m³ m⁻³ wastewater. The liquid produced from the fermentation of the slurry can be used for irrigation as well as fertilization. Kitchen waste co-digestion with both sludge samples has been proven to be a practical method for exploiting the extra digestion capacity of wastewater treatment plants currently in operation, but it is more practical for non-saline sludge.     

Deleterious effects of Malathion on survivality and growth of the fingerlings of Channa punctatus (BLOCH.), a freshwater murrel

The LC₅₀ of Malathion for Channu punctatus is determined for 24… 96 h of exposure as 10.95… 3.22 mg/l. At exposure to 2.5 mg./l Malathion, growth–measured by increase in weight–is significantly reduced from the 19th day and reduced by 10 % till the 31st day. During the same period of time, the RNA and protein contents of the muscle is lowered by 10 and 15 %, respectively, as compared with the control. In addition to an acute toxic effect, in sublethal concentrations Malathion has also pronounced effects on growth and metabolism.     

Recovery of Gallium and Arsenic from Gallium Arsenide Waste in the Electronics Industry

Gallium arsenide (GaAs) has both high saturated electron velocity and high electron mobility, making it useful as a semiconductor material in a variety of applications, including light‐emitting diodes (LEDs), integrated circuits (ICs), and microwave appliances. A side effect of the use of gallium (Ga) is the production of a relatively large amount of hazardous waste. This study aimed at the recovery of Ga and arsenic (As) from GaAs waste using hydrometallurgical methods involving leaching and coagulation and a dry annealing process that involves annealing, vacuum separation, and sublimation by heating. Our research has shown that GaAs can be leached using nitric acid (HNO₃) to obtain 100% Ga and As with a leaching solution at pH 0.1, with subsequent adjustment of the leaching solution to pH 3 with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Another method used a leaching solution at pH 2, then adjusting to pH 11 using NaOH. Ferric hydroxide (FeO(OH)) was added at 90°C after NaOH was added to the leaching solution. At pH 2 and 11, 55.5 and 21.9% of the As could be removed from the hazardous waste, respectively. The Ga could also be precipitated. When GaAs powder was heated to 1000°C over 3 h, 100% As removal was achieved, and 92.6% of the Ga was removed by formation of 99.9% gallium trioxide (Ga₂O₃). Arsenic was vaporized when the temperature was elevated to 1000°C, allowing arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃) to condense with 99.2% purity. The Ga₂O₃ powder produced was then dissolved and electrolyzed, allowing for 95.9% recovery of Ga with a purity of 99.9%.     

Studies on Primary Productivity and some Hydrochemical Aspects of a Polluted Water-body of the Himalayan Jhelum Valley

The lake without any outlet (11 ha, 55000 m³, z_max 2,25 m) has a weak thermal stratification with maximum surface temperatures of 32.5 °C. The annual variation of temperature and depth of visibility is unimodal, with the maxima or minima in August. Phytoplankton consists mainly of Cyanophyceae. The primary production determined by the light-dark bottle technique (oxygen method) varies in the annual variation between 0.3… 0.5 g m^?2 d^?1 C (winter) and 3.4… 4.6 g m^?2 d^?1 C (summer); as the annual means of 1975 and 1976 there were found 1.9 and 2.4 g m^?2 d^?1 C, resp., gross production at a utilization of 0.42… 2.85% of the radiation energy. The chemism is a well-buffered hydrogen-carbonate water (pH 8.1… 9.0) with 74… 90 mg/1 Na and 20.5… 31.5 mg/1 K and with a good nutrient supply (20… 40 μg/1 PO₄—P and 100… 240 μg/1 NO₃—N) at the same time.     

Toxicity of Interactions of Zinc —Nickel,Copper —Nickel and Zinc —Nickel —Copper to a Freshwater Teleost,Lebistes reticulatus (PETERS)1

The lethal toxicity of mixtures of Zn²⁺ —Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺ —Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺ —Cu²⁺ —Ni²⁺ to common guppy at 21£C in hard water (total hardness = 260 mg/l as CaCO₃) was studied under static bioassays test conditions with renewal of the test solutions every 24 h. The heavy metals were tested separately and in mixtures. The 48 h median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) for individual salts were 75 mg/l Zn²⁺, 37 mg/l for Ni²⁺ and 2.5 mg/l for Cu²⁺. Concentrations were expressed in “toxic units” by taking them as proportions of LC₅₀ values. Experiments showed that in the Zn²⁺-Ni²⁺ mixture, when Ni²⁺ was more in proportion, the toxicity was more than additive. The 48 h LC₅₀ value and 95% confidence limits in the Ni²⁺-Cu²⁺ mixture were 0.684 (0.484 … 0.807) toxic units and the mixture produced more than the additive toxicity (synergism.). The LC₅₀ value and its 95% confidence limits in a Zn²⁺?Cu²⁺?Ni²⁺ mixture also suggested that the mixture was again strictly additive. The results indicate that heavy metallic mixtures would pose a greater toxicological danger to fish than the respective individual metals.     

Bioindikation zur Verminderung von Stickstoffdüngerverlusten und der Stickstoffbelastung von Gewässern

Prerequisite to the nitrogen leaching from agricultural soils in spring is the ecologically optimum control of the first nitrogen fertilizer application. On the basis of investigations having been carried out for some years, a method for determining the optimum time of fertilization with the aid of phenological data is presented. The blossoming data of Anemone nemorosa proved to be a suitable sensitive indicator, their onset of blossoming is the optimum time for the first nitrogen application. In dependence on the height and variation of weather, in the subdued mountains this time is 90 … 116 d after the beginning of the year and corresponds to a temperaturetotal ≥ 5°C of 80 … 120°C or > 0°C: 160 … 230°C. Possibly, the leaf development of Alchemilla vulgaris or the first development of Poa pratensis are suitable as other bioindicators. The boundary conditions and disturbance variables of the bioindication are discussed. By the phenological date-determination of the beginning of fertilization the nitrogen losses can be reduced by 10 … 20% and the nitrate leaching can be considerably reduced especially in drinking-water protection areas.     

Phyto- and Zooplankton Composition and Some Ecological Observations on a Man-made Lake in Wadi el Majanin,Libya

The small eutrophic man-made lake in Wadi el Majanin, Libya has a well-buffered hydrogen-carbonate (98 … 160 mg/l CaCO₃) system (pH = 7 … 7.8) and a poor Secchi visibility (21 … 35 cm). Conductivity data (272 … 480 μS/cm) fit the water-body in class 2 (‘freshwater’ range) of Beadle. The annual surface water temperature cycle (before noon readings) showed strong seasonal variations from 12 °C in Jan. and Feb. 1986 to 28.5 °C in June, 1987. The lake sustains a good crop of plankton populations. The main phytoplankton were species of Pediastrum, Scenedesmus, Navicula, Amphora, Synedra, Gomphonema, Oscillatoria, Gomphosphaeria and from zooplankton these were Keratella, Polyarthra, Brachionus, Moina, Acanthocyclops and nauplii of copepods. The presence of euglenoids supports the enriched water status of the ecosystem. Planktonic algal flora appeared closer to the eutrophic chlorococcales-diatom type (Hutchinson). Rotifers dominated the zooplankton community. A well established macrophytic vegetation was lacking.     

A Study on the Effect of Temperature upon the Toxicity of Sodium Pentachlorophenate to the Freshwater Snail Viviparus bengalensis L.

The toxicity of Na-pentachlorophenate to Viviparus bengalensis is investigated by batch tests with daily exchange of medium in the temperature range between 19 °C (February), 27 °C (April), 32 °C (June) and 30 °C (August) at times of exposure between 12 and 96 h. In the range of higher concentrations, pronounced abnormalities in behaviour by secreting mucus and discharging eggs and embryos occur. The LC₅₀ are lowest for all times of exposure at 27 °C, whereas the times of survival with a given concentration are highest at 30 °C. From the LC_{50, 96h, 27°C} = 66 μg/l results a safe concentration of only 47 μg/l Na-pentachlorophenate for Viviparus bengalensis.     

The Influence of the Incubation Temperature on the Body Length and the Yolk Sac Volume of Coregonus albula (L.) Eleutheroembryos

Eggs of Coregonus albula were incubated at temperatures of 1.1, 2.0, 4.9, 6.6, 8.4 and 9.9 °C. The successful hatching is optimum with 61 % at 4.9 °C; incubation time and period of hatching decrease significantly with rising temperature. The length of eleutheroembryos decreases with rising temperature, the yolk sac volume increases. Between the incubation time till hatching and the body length a significantly positive regression exists in the range of 4.9… 8.4 °C, for the yolk sac volume the regression is negative, it is significant in the range of 2.9… 6.6 °C; at the same time a negative regression exists between the yolk sac volume and the body length. Thus, low temperatures cause a delay of hatching, higher temperatures accelerate hatching and at the same time result in a reduced utilization of the yolk reserves. Besides these influences of temperature on the rate of ontogenetic processes, some autoecological consequences of the influence of temperature result, which have to be taken into account in further investigations.     

Acute Toxicity of Distillery Effluent on a Freshwater Fish and Three Pond Snails

The LC₅₀ for 12… 96 h of a distillery waste water were determined for Lebistes reticulatus, Lymnaea luteola, Lymnaea acuminata and Viviparus bengalensis in the batch experiment with daily exchange of the medium. The sensitivity of the species increases in the given sequence with values of the LC_{50,96 h} of 10.77 to 3.72 % proportion of wastewater in the medium. Compared with this, with values of the LC_{50,48 h} of 14.06… 15.71 % after 48 h of exposure there is no significant difference in sensitivity, whereas after exposure for 12 and 24 h the sensitivity grows in the following order: V. bengalensis, L. acuminata, L. luteola, Lebistes reticulatus. Toxicity is obviously primarily determined by the sulphides; with increasing time of exposure also the suspended matter and other factors act toxically.